New York Mayoral Candidate Focuses Campaign On Anti-Consumerism
New York has never had any shortages in fringe candidates for office but Green Party candidate Reverend Billy is more than a fringe candidate - he's an author, guru, theater maven, and noted anti-consumerism activist. More about the campaign here and here. (Photo: Brennan Cavanaugh/voterevbilly)
Update: Apologies to anyone who was offended by my post. As anyone who knows me knows, I'm a fan of Reverend Billy's. As for "theater fag," here in New York it's considered a term of affection!
While, sure, "theater fag" was one of those terms that kids threw around loosely in high school to make fun of people, it's widely used in jest by people who work in theater and their peers. Not unlike "music geek." (Keep in mind that when I was in high school in the late 1980s, pretty much no one used "geek" affectionately-it was a derogatory term that, like "fag," has since been reclaimed.)
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Comments:
"Theater fag"? Really??
Um, what exactly is a "theater fag"?
The Naked Cowboy is running too but you didn't report on him.
Bias at the Consumerist? More at 11!
@tungstencoil: I would imagine "theater fag" is similar to a "theater nigger" except the consumerist editors will allow the former to be published, but not the latter.
I followed the link from it to see if it was a quote from his page, but he never used the word.
I was always a huge fan of this website until the disgusting "theater fag" comment. I will never again visit this website. I'm also contacting Consumer Reports to vocally complain about the degrading, hateful use of words. This is 2009, come on! Shame on Ben, Meghann and the rest of the employees at this website!
Sorry, but my vote is for Naked Cowboy. I hope you will understand.
@l951b951: Exactly what I was thinking. I had to look it up in Urban Dictionary, and, even then, I wasn't quite pleased with the kosherness. Especially after the article about ending the use of "gay" as a synonym for stupid. Just gay. So gay.
@larrymac: I know, right? The All the cigarettes I've talked to are angry about being unfairly grouped...
He stars in the documentary "What Would Jesus Buy". You can see it free (and legally) at:
@Princess Sparkle Pony: Only if you're a closeted homophobe. Anyone over the age of 13 can no longer claim naivete.
@ARP: From the urban dictionary:
Theater Fag
Some douchebag (probably in high school or college) who is obsessed with theater productions and the like.
Uh, yeah, you really, really, really should not have used the term "theater fag". Just typing out right now makes me uncomfortable. I clicked on the link to make sure it wasn't something he calls himself, and the word was no where to be found.
I think a retraction and/or apology might be in order, hmmm?
@l951b951: I think you are giving the editors undeserved credit to assume that they wouldn't publish both.
"theater fag"? How exactly can ANYONE put that in (virtual) print without KNOWING that it is: hateful language, poor judgement, and unnecessary?
How exactly, does the use of that term in any way convey more information about the story, the topic, or the person? How is that description in any way germane to the article being written?
Whoever wrote that post: this is 2009 . . . professional, educated, intelligent people don't use language like that "for humor" . . . especially when their posting on a public, for profit, blog.
@TazManic: Neat website, thanks for sharing it. I will definitely note it for future use (i.e. sharing with someone who might be enlightened by it).
@ConsumerRights: Please lift your foot off the self-righteous pedal. Your sanctimony is careening out of control.
yep, that crossed the line. better get on the damage control.
I'm being self-righteous because someone at this website thought it was politically correct to call someone a fag? The hateful term "theater fag" has absolutely nothing to do with the article in question. The link they gave does not even contain this term. So someone from consumerist.com thought it was ok to randomly type in a gay slur. Whoever wrote this article should be fired. @ChuckECheese:
@TinkishDelight: "Only if you're a closeted homophobe."
I disagree. A homophobe need not be closeted to use pejoratives.
Wow...bunch of sensitive nancys coming out in outrage over the "theatre fag" comment. Jesus...the pc nonsense never ends.
Anyway...on topic...reverend billy is quite the nutjob. Having worked at starbucks in new york where he regularly "preaches" I can say this with certainty. He's also overly aggressive seemingly asking the police to engage in violent response. So yeah...perfect candidate.
@formergr: Ben, I second the call for a public retraction and apology. The term was prejudiced, derogatory and wholly unnecessary. And please don't just edit it and forget it... This is not acceptable commentary.
Carrie, did you really think "theater fag" was an appropriate term? Seriously?
I'm not particularly offended by the word, but it is laughable that any of the Consumerist staff thought that it was acceptable.
He's not a "theater fag" (whatever that is, though it sure sounds like it came out of an ass). He's a commited activist who is colorful and original enough to get attention, which isn't a bad thing, and makes a lot of very good points. He takes his Church of Life After Shopping to Burning Man each and is very well received. Burning Man is a place of no consumerism for a week though, so it's not exactly an audience he has to work hard to win over.
I love consumerist, and give the editors an awful lot of leeway if they'd like to explain/ retract/ apologize for the offensive language. Silence on the issue, however, that would not be so OK.
@newyorkmcgee:
It's not PC nonsense. There are terms that are offensive, not just to particular groups of people but to most of us who would never offend someone by using a slur. It bothers me that I came to one of my favorite websites only to find such drivel in one of its own articles.
It's unacceptable. And those of us who are upset certainly have a right to be.
@takes_so_little:
You're correct. It's usually the closeted gays that would use such a perjorative. You know, the whole protesting too much thing.
I see they've changed it to "theater maven".
@newyorkmcgee: Would the n-word cross the line for you? If so, why not this? And if the n-word is just dandy with you, then... well, nevermind. Rather not know ya.
@takes_so_little: This is true. I was trying to give the writer the benefit of the doubt and assume that maybe he or she is unaware of his or her hate.
@newyorkmcgee: regardless of what you think of rev Billy (and I think he is a dick). The theater fag comment is unnecesary. I don't think this is being overly pc, I think it's about not being overtly offensive.
@newyorkmcgee: If somebody got called a "theater fag" by an employee working at Target you can bet that their story would probably be posted on Consumerist for employee misconduct.
@takes_so_little:
It's hard to believe someone thought that was okay in the first place. I've heard of making mistakes, but who in the world thought that would be acceptable?
Lest we forget, one of Ms. McLaren's most recent posts was entitled "Conservative panties in a twist over breastfeeding baby doll": [consumerist.com] and upset a great deal of people.
@TazManic: I agree with you and the others -- "Theater fag" is way inappropriate and not in an edgy way, but in a sad, backwards way. There was a time three years ago when Consumerist used the phrase "[Company] anally rapes you" in a headline, with a photo of a woman who appeared to be getting raped. In that case, they apologized and appeared to learn their lesson.
I love you, Consumerist, and you provide an excellent service that I recommend to my friends -- but this tag is really beyond disappointing. If this continues I will be launching my own EECB to Consumer Reports.
As a longtime and devoted fan of Consumerist, I'm simply taken aback by your usage of "theater fag". I live in NYC and understand that many of your bloggers post from here, where there are a number of bleeding-heart liberals who may sometimes toss around such terms in conversation lightheartedly with no intention of offense. However, Consumerist reaches out to a global audience, and represents the Consumer Reports image. I find your usage of the term deeply offensive, if not incredibly disappointing.
@tbax929: I hear you, but consumerist.com has been building good faith with me for a long time, and I'm willing to hear what they have to say about it before I get upset.
@Hodo: fyi: "The Consumerist is published by Consumer Media LLC, a not-for-profit subsidiary of Consumers Union..." (from the 'about us' link at the bottom of the page). also, its they're, not their (which is incorrect also, but, thats splitting hairs)
Oh, are we using the term "theater fag" unironically now?